Tamahere School students have planted between 1200 and 1500 acorns in seedling trays.

Some of the acorns that grow into oak trees will be planted along the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway, likely to include the Pickering pond and the Victoria Road Interchange, which will be the gateway to Cambridge.

Tamahere principal Waveney Parker says Cambridge is known for its oak trees.

Tamahere and St Stephen’s Church stalwarts Rex and Christine Pickering have been honoured for their long community service.

The Pickerings have been members of the St Stephen’s parish for more than 40 years and have been involved in everything from the re-building of the church after it was razed by fire to the iconic Christmas Festival.

In a surprise move, Waikato Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley made a presentation to the couple at today’s church service, which noted their contribution ranging from friendship to fundraising.

Friends and former Tamahere School classmates of a one-time Tamahere family are rallying to their support in a time of need.

Becky Horn, and her family, twin brother Simon, older brother Jason, and parents Pam and Graeme lived in Tamahere for many years – the children attended the school and their parents were active community members.

Becky Horn is now battling a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer and friends of the family, now living in Hamilton, are fundraising to support alternative treatments.

The wife of a former Tamahere accountant, convicted of stealing millions of dollars from a wealthy family to fund a lavish lifestyle, played a role in her husband’s crimes.

Susan Lesley Soffe, whose husband Gary William Soffe stole $4.1 million from his client, has been serving home detention and doing community service after she pleaded guilty to receiving more than $3 million in stolen money.

She also pleaded guilty to laundering $855,000 and trying to claim a domestic purposes benefit when her husband went to jail.

“Trish has been our school librarian for 22 years, working quietly in the background, supporting our staff and students,” said Principal Waveney Parker in an online tribute.

“Over the years Trish has worked hard to create a wonderful library for us all to enjoy, developing a vibrant and exciting place to learn and enjoy reading and books. Trish’s dedication and efficiency has helped to achieve one of the best school libraries in the area with over 7000 quality books in our collection.”

His parents, Alex and Allene Pollock, farmed west of Whangarei at Mangakahia. His father also contracted, hauling logs from the bush with bullock teams. People seemed to help each other much more then, and it rubbed off on Wally.

He was a family man in the widest sense, one son and one daughter, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, countless cousins, nieces and nephews. Rugby teams, racing people, the Waikato community – they were “extended family” to Wally.